Oral Tradition, 7/2 (1992):258-83

Beowulf : The Monsters and the Tradition
Marilynn Desmond Grendel’s attack on Heorot and the resulting battle with Beowulf is undeniably the most vivid and memorable scene in Beowulf and quite possibly in all of Anglo-Saxon narrative. Arthur Brodeur has commented on its narrative power (1959); Stanley B. Greenfield has analyzed the style of the passage on more than one occasion (1967, 1972); Alain Renoir has called the scene “one of the most effective presentations of terror in English literature” (1968:166); George Clark has described this scene as a version of the theme he calls “The Traveler Recognizes His Goal” (1965). Almost every book on Beowulf touches on the narrative qualities of this scene,1 and many an article on Beowulf will include some discussion of it.2 Thus Grendel’s attack on Heorot is not only the most memorable scene in the text; it is also one of the most heavily glossed.
Modern scholars quite frequently use this passage to exemplify the narrative qualities of the poem as a whole. For instance, see Niles (1983:147-48, 167-68), who discusses this scene as an example of “barbaric style,” especially what he terms the “narrative principle of contrast” (168). This scene is also discussed in Irving 1968:20-28, 101-12; and 1988:1-35, and Renoir 1988:125-27. For example, see Harris 1982, on the scene as exemplifying the techniques of “variational pattern and effect” (105); Kavros 1981, on the feast-sleep theme; Hanning 1973, on the “images of division, usually involuntary or compelled division, which can be said to control our response to Grendel’s last visit to Heorot” (206); Storms 1972, on the effectiveness of this scene in presenting terror; Lumiansky 1968, on the scene from the point of view of the “dramatic audience” (77); Ringler 1966, on the idea that “the Beowulf poet’s reiterated assertions that his hero will triumph over Grendel, as well as his concentration during the fight on Grendel’s state of mind . . . are in fact premises of an elaborate structure of ironies” (66); Evans 1963, on Grendel’s approach to the hall as an example of the way a story in Germanic epic “unfolds, not in a continuous action but in a series of vivid ‘stills’” (117); and Culbert 1963, on the contention that “the poet is most effective at precisely the wrong points in the poem. Greater narrative skill was employed in the depiction of the fight with Grendel than was displayed in the narration of either of the other combats” (58-59).
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The other two occasions on which a monster attacks the hall have engendered much less discussion. The first, a fairly colorless passage that summarizes Grendel’s first attack on Heorot (and his seizure of thirty thanes), consists of a mere fourteen lines (115-129a). The attack of Grendel’s mother (1279-1304a) is somewhat more vivid than Grendel’s first attack, but much less fully realized than the scene in which Grendel meets Beowulf,3 though it has been characterized as a scene that imposes “a sudden dreadful fear” (Brodeur 1959:95). Yet all three scenes aptly fit their context: their quality as scene or summary is exactly suited to whatever slowly developed terror or sudden fear the narrative requires at that moment. The differences among these scenes are obvious, but their similarities much less so; indeed, they are all variations on one scene. These three scenes— including the most frequently discussed one in the text—are all manifestations of a single traditional episodic unit found in oral and oralderived narratives. The surviving corpus of Anglo-Saxon poetry shows considerable evidence of an oral tradition, attested to by repeated phrases (formulas) and episodes (themes and/or type-scenes) discernible within the relatively small number of texts available to modern readers. Though some contemporary scholars remain skeptical that such demonstrably oral-formulaic elements in Anglo-Saxon poetry testify to a predominantly oral poetics and a preliterate cultural context within which Anglo-Saxon poetry was composed and transmitted, such skepticism perhaps results from the fact that modern print culture—and to some degree the scholarship it generates—privileges the written text produced to circulate as a material artifact among literate readers, especially in the construction of a literary tradition. Through the ethnographic efforts of modern folklorists and students of oral cultures, however, a sizeable body of data now makes it possible for the AngloSaxon scholar to argue not only for the highly sophisticated, literary qualities of oral traditional narratives, but also for the Germanic cultural context that such oral poetics represent, particularly in contrast to the written, manuscript-based culture of the monastic Latin tradition of AngloSaxon England.4 In addition, contemporary cultural studies provide AngloSaxon scholars with entirely new models and categories for the study of language and culture beyond authorship, such as Bahktin’s notion of
Perhaps the undeveloped qualities of this scene account for the priority of the battle with Grendel rather than that with Grendel’s mother. See Nitzsche 1980 and Irving 1988:70-73.
4 3

See Olsen 1986:550-57, 1988:141-57.

suggests that we conceptualize the cultural context of such poetry in larger terms. “The Monster Attacks the Hall” (MAH). In such a theoretical context. the hero on the beach (Crowne 1960. but constitutes the central organizing unit from which and around which the
For a thorough survey of themes in Old English poetry. however. transformed over centuries of complex interactions between various traditions. Ango-Saxon poetry. DeLavan 1980). MAH does not represent just any formal unit embedded in the text that invites description and commentary. the theme in which a traveler recognizes his goal (Clark 1965). a significant amount of contemporary scholarship still addresses the topic of oral-formulaic poetics from a quantitative perspective.5 However. such emphasis on the quantity of oral vs. known either as “type-scenes” or “themes. and Foley 1990:331-33. Scholars have already unearthed. but also for our appreciation of Beowulf as a manifestation of culturally powerful themes. a “mixed tradition. themes for the presentation of sea voyages (Ramsey 1971). Among the most significant themes classified and discussed by these scholars are themes of death (Taylor 1967). and described a large number of formulaic narrative units. sleep-feast themes (Kavros 1981. indeed. for which written and oral are simply two possible categories. written tends to reify the single written text in our possession as the product of a single (though almost always unkown) author and a frozen historical moment. Bonjour 1957). Old English literature displays a significant number of formulaic episodes. mythically represented. labeled. repeated episode.260
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“heteroglossia” (1981) or Brian Stock’s “textual communities” (1983). and the beasts of battle theme (Magoun 1955.” or a written tradition derived from an oral tradition? Though such “quantitative” questions often generate valuable discussions concerning the methodological basis of oral-formulaic studies and thereby assist the modern reader in characterizing the nature of an oral tradition. That is. we might look to the oral features of an AngloSaxon poem for traces of dominant concerns of Anglo-Saxon culture. the theme of exile (Greenfield 1955). see Foley 1980:51-91. The rhetorical poetics of anonymous. as a type-scene. Fry 1967). has implications not only for our understanding of the poetics of the narrative. The fact that the narrative of Beowulf revolves around a structurally central.” depending on the context in which they occur and the methodology used to characterize them. Olsen 1986:577-88. Nonetheless. Despite the paucity of texts. we might look at the written texts we have as the material record of cultural forces.
5
. theoretical discussions of the oral tradition in AngloSaxon poetry are often framed by questions of measurement: does the oralformulaic texture of Anglo-Saxon poetry amount to an oral tradition. as we shall see.

” He defines this term as “principally the roots of alliterating words although non-alliterating words may at times be included” (1976: 221). nor is there any agreement about how these units are located in Anglo-Saxon poetry. . . though not necessarily the strict or simple repetition of formulas. especially his preference for the term “type-scene. Fry and John Miles Foley.
7 6
. However.7
Fry’s work has clarified and focused much of the discussion of oral-formulaic composition in Anglo-Saxon poetry.). . his terminology. a type-scene6 is discernible because it consists of smaller units—or details—termed “motifs” that recur in the same order.). To Fry’s description of the type-scene as a narrative element. In the investigation of the type-scene as an episodic unit in narrative. and which. The past few decades. its deployment in Beowulf illustrates the narrative logic of the epic. According to Fry (1968. non-narrative clusters of images are.” has not been universally accepted. Foley asserts that the repetitive element of the Anglo-Saxon theme—the linguistic representation of each motif—is the “stave root. For other theoretical discussions. since these two scholars do not use the same terminology. He stresses that verbal correspondence can be found in the roots of words: “single words will constitute thematic resonance in the verbal dimension” (1980:131). according to Fry. however. best considered themes (ibid. have produced increasingly rigorous and thus increasingly useful definitions of these terms and their function in Anglo-Saxon narrative. However. taken together. . the motif. see Magoun 1955. Old English prosody tends away from colonic phraseology . also Creed 1959 and Diamond 1961. function as the unit that advances the plot by presenting a stock situation in the narrative. my own working definition of “type-scene” and my examination of MAH must distinguish between Fry’s and Foley’s contributions to the field. . And again:
we cannot expect a large proportion of whole-line or half-line formulas as verbal correspondence in Old English poetry. There is no single accepted definition or description of the type-scene (or theme) or of its smaller unit. As a narrative unit. 1969) the type-scene is the building block of narrative (“a recurring stereotyped presentation of conventional details used to describe a certain narrative event” [1968:35]). This particular type-scene is the structural and thematic unit that represents the narrative itself. the most promising avenues have been mapped by Donald K. we must add Foley’s argument that this “recurring stereotyped presentation” must exhibit some form of verbal correspondence.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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first two-thirds of Beowulf develops. since that expectation presupposes a colonic formula. what we can expect as thematic data are highly variable half-lines which may have in common only their stressed cores (ibid.

Goldsmith (1970:90-99). are found in the Beowulf codex (MS. especially as represented by the Anglo-Saxon versions of the Mirabilia (“The Wonders of the East”). and Beowulf. and in the area of monsters we are particularly limited. Sisam (1965:6).or type-scenehunting in a variety of texts in order to illuminate the occurrence as a traditional element in any one context. idea. or event” (1985:295). My own approach is to give priority to verbal correspondences that include some sort of formulaic repetition. see Whitbread (1974). Beowulf is the only extant poetic narrative text in Anglo-Saxon that includes monsters. however. between another Latin prose text on monsters. Christopher’s curious pedigrees” (140).9 MAH occurs in only
See further Foley 1990:chs. and these details should ideally display some verbal correspondence. see Sisam 1965:65-82). through which the poet has produced “the most interesting monster of the
9 8
. who discusses the manuscript tradition of monster lore and the Beowulf codex. 6. the technical requirements for this “verbal correspondence” range from Greenfield’s “verbal echoes” (1955:7) to Foley’s stave root. as well as semantic and syntactical parallels. 9. and Chadwick (1959:171-203). who argues that the Beowulf manuscript first existed as a distinct codex.262
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Type-scenes are identifiable as narrative units that betray a similar sequence of narrative details. Attempts have been made to connect Grendel. All discussions of oral-formulaic “themes” or “type-scenes” depend to some extent on finding “verbal correspondence” among motifs. since “even the dullest anthologist would realize that Grendel outmonstered anything The Wonders of the East had to offer. see further Brynteson (1982). Grendel has been linked to the Latin prose texts that catalogue monsters. Vitellius A xv. who sees Grendel in the context of a literary tradition of “the universally condemned figures of Christian history” (106). These connections are also discussed by Whitelock (1951:52-53). On the place of monsters in medieval literature. For a skeptical consideration of Beowulf and the prose texts with which it survives. for a full description of the codex. the Liber Monstrorum.” to several literary and folkloric traditions that record or depict monsters. medieval. such motifs exemplify the formulaic formation Anita Riedinger calls thematic: “a verse which signifies a recurrent image. The Latin texts.8 Most studies of oral-formulaic units in ancient. frequently made. and thus the “Grendel-Story. along with a prose Anglo-Saxon version of the Letter of Alexander to Aristotle. or modern literatures present the results of theme. However. On the connection. and who cautions against considering the manuscript as a whole to represent an Anglo-Saxon anthology of monsters. which. Beowulf and AngloSaxon poetry provide only a small territory for type-scene comparison. However. the text of the Anglo-Saxon translations in Rypins 1924. see Kiernan (1981). including reproductions of manuscript illuminations. see Friedman (1981). who explores the implications of the possible connections often noticed between two texts. are found in Rhodes 1929 and Porsia 1976. much less Alexander’s Letter on St.

These three passages vary considerably in length. Passage II (702b828a) Grendel’s last attack on the Hall—the central and most fully developed use of MAH—and Passage III (1279-1304a) the attack by Grendel’s mother. 3) the monster departs to his or her home in the fen. which is—like the monsters—at the center of the poem. MAH illustrates the basic structure of the text as a production of narrative units that generate the series of episodes that constitute the narrative itself. he or she does so quite predictably.
. and the third attack follows after 451 lines. As such. well within the first half of the poem.
Middle Ages and the most extreme statement of hostility toward monsters generally” (107). its features dependent on its context and participants. and 4) the men respond to the attack. The outline of Passages I and III demonstrates the basic properties of MAH. Although we do not quite find simple repetition of lines or formulas in Passages I and III. The relatively short space between presentations of MAH results in a noticeable balance in the overall movement of the poem.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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one surviving Anglo-Saxon text. When a monster attacks the hall in Beowulf. MAH itself is flexible in length and treatment. there do exist striking verbal and imagistic echoes in the parallel motifs of each passage. In addition. the Beowulf-poet narrates three attacks directly: Passage I (115-29a) depicts Grendel’s first attack. Such echoes provide a form of “verbal correspondence” necessary for the typescene. central attack by Grendel is framed by the two short versions of the type-scene (see diagram) that pre-cede and follow it by several hundred lines. but its occurrence and deployment in Beowulf illustrate the narrative properties of oral-formulaic type-scenes. MAH structures and dominates the first half of Beowulf. A glance at the schematic versions of Passages I and III show the four recurring motifs. The contrast between these two short passages and Passage II shows the poet’s manipulation and expansion of this type-scene. according to Foley. yet each episode is distinct. The long. All four elements occur each time a monster attacks the hall. As already noted. and spaced at comparable but unequal intervals: 573 lines separate the first two attacks. 2) the monster seizes one or more sleeping men. since this type-scene presents the narrative problems that the plot must solve. this sort of flexibility within such a stock outline demonstrates the potentials of an individual type-scene to structure and generate traditional narrative. all three examples occur early in the text. the skeleton of this stereotyped narrative unit (see diagram): 1) The monster approaches and enters the hall when its occupants are asleep.

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in both passages. the second element of the
10
See Kavros 1981.” 118a. the force of the statement lies in the verb geniman: “ond on ræste genam. the sleeping men are logical and appropriate transitional devices. In Passage III. and the Hring-Dene are mentioned by name in each passage (116b. this innocuous word is suggestive. and Riedinger 1985. though not in parallel constructions (“Fand a ær inne. The verbal correspondence of the words swefan (119a) and swæfun (1280a). the six lines’ separation between the verb that denotes seizure and the occurrence of the phrase on ræste separates the motif into two elements: the seizure of the thane(s) and the fact that this seizure occurs when the victims are asleep. both in an a-verse. they obviously do not correspond on a morphemic level.10 The first line of each passage describes the monster’s approach.
11
. Although the verbs for the monster’s action (gewat. Such separation enhances the dramatic potential of the motif. com) are semantically parallel. In Passage I. Likewise. the emphasis falls on the verb befon: “hra e heo æ elinga anne hæfde / fæste befangen” (1294-95b) [“quickly she had firmly seized one of the men”]. of the penetration of the hall by the monster.” 1281b11). Motif 2—The Monster Seizes One or More Sleeping Men. com in Passage III verbally echoes the becom of Passage I. Likewise. All quotations are from Klaeber 1950. In Passage III.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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Motif 1—The Monster Approaches the Hall While Its Occupants Are Asleep. and both instances of the opening motif emphasize that the monster approaches while the men sleep. In each version of the first motif. “si an inne fealh. the phrase on ræste also occurs in Passage III as part of a statement that amplifies the first statement of the motif: “ one e heo on ræste abreat” (1298b) [“he whom she killed in bed”]. and yet most dramatic features of motif #1 as a narrative element. The attack itself is formulaically organized around verbs for seizing. 1279b). nevertheless. / ritig egna” (122b-23a) [“and he seized thirty thanes from their bed”]. without diacritics. However. DeLavan 1980. most formulaic. and their vulnerability heightens the terror and doom of the monster’s attack. the action is described in similar if not corresponding language. the adverb inne occurs in each passage. delineates the first motif of the type-scene. since the summary of the monster’s attack in Passage I becomes a slightly more developed scene in Passage III. These two formulaic events—the movement of the monster and the simultaneous paralysis of the men in sleep—represent the most basic. Since all three versions of this type-scene directly follow themes of feasting.

Indeed. The departure of the monster is treated somewhat differently in each of these two passages. the semantic correspondence of the two verbs in the second motif (genam. described by the terms wop (128b). wolde ut anon” (1292) [“she was in haste. but in Passage III the monster’s desire to leave is noted before her actual departure. from event to realization of that event. The attack by Grendel’s mother (Passage III) illustrates the potential for expansion and manipulation of a basic type-scene. Passage III illustrates the poet’s ability to repeat. MAH even stripped down to its skeleton. a stock situation. The expansion of passage III makes possible the representation of a tension between the monster’s desire and her actions. the second and third motif each break into two separate units. The two occurrences cohere semantically. befangen) provides the organization for the second motif within the type-scene. Thus. in Beowulf. given the similar meanings of these nouns. in the second. The two statements together constitute the motif: “Heo wæs on ofste. morgensweg (129a). For example. Motif 3—The Monster Departs to His or Her Home in the Fen. the first statement of motif 2 (the
. The fourth motif acknowledges an awareness of the significance of the event for the characters in the narrative. the elements of the type-scene—the individual motifs—nevertheless occur quite densely in Passage III. or perhaps especially when so simply expressed. from action to reaction. Though its twentyfive lines represent a significant expansion of the fourteen lines of Passage I. amplify. the parallel structure of the two phrases suggests parallel ideas: “to ham faran” (124b) and “to fenne gang” (1295b). In the absence of verbal correspondence. a tension that makes Passage III far more dramatic than Passage I. Passage I straightforwardly notes Grendel’s return to his home. effectively evokes the shock and horror of what is. The final motif generates a form of closure for the type-scene: the inhabitants’ response to the attack. The depiction of both attacks illustrates the extreme economy made possible by the brevity and flexibility of each motif. and vary the motifs and the order of the motifs in any given type-scene. swæfun).266
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motif—the repetition of the term on ræste—is linked to the second element of the first motif. Motif 4—The Men Respond to the Attack. and hream (1302a). she wished to be gone”]. In addition. interlock. the verb that describes the men as sleeping (swefan. he or she seizes a thane (or thanes) from his (their) rest. the skeletons of motifs 1 and 2 are parallel: in the first motif. a difference that demonstrates the expansion of a motif within a type-scene. shifts the focus of the narrative from episode to emotion. followed a few lines later by “ a heo to fenne gang” (1295b) [“when she went to the fen”]. the monster approaches while the men are asleep.

a heo to fenne gang. a heo onfunden wæs. rice randwiga. she wished to be gone to preserve her life. that are dramatically important to the context of the type-scene. The traditional poet is able to repeat. then she went to the fen. (1302-3)
[She seized that well-known hand. when she was discovered. (1296-99a) [To Hrothgar.]
Then. wolde ut anon. heo under heolfre genam cearu wæs geniwod. the “seizure” itself is elaborated and emphasized after the closure of the fourth motif. Quickly she had firmly seized one of the nobles. one e heo on ræste abreat blædfæstne beorn. the elements of the action.]
Likewise. when another seizure comes to light—the theft of the “well-known hand”:
cu e folme. a powerful shield warrior.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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attack). represented by each motif. feore beorgan. the poet reiterates the second motif when he identifies the seized thane and observes that he had been taken from his bed:
Se wæs Hro gare hæle a leofost on gesi es had be sæm tweonum. hra e heo æ elinga anne hæfde fæste befangen. in an interlocked pattern. Care was renewed. covered in blood. Passage I
.]
The final elaboration of the last motif—the response of the men to the attack (“cearu wæs geniwod”) completes this instance of MAH and varies the basic statement of motif #4. is sandwiched between two statements of motif 3 (the monster’s desire to depart and the actual departure):
Heo wæs on ofste. (1292-95b) [She was in haste. he was the most beloved noble in the position of retainer between the two seas. once the monster has departed. that one whom she seized from his bed.

(702b-3a) a com of more under misthleo um Grendel gongan. . each succeeding step also repeats.” “Riddle 33”.268
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contains a single statement of each of the three motifs.12
The parallelism of this passage has been frequently discussed. Passage II further illustrates the repetition and elaboration of the same four motifs that structure the type-scene in Passages I and III. with variation and amplification. Even the core words or phrases of the motif are repeated. The formulaic quality of this motif is suggested by the repetition of the verb com in three of these four statements as well as the first half-line of Passage III (“Com a to Heorote” [279a]). ære he hie wisse. Each statement deepens the tension of the narrative simply by varying the initial motif—the smallest element—of the type-scene as a narrative unit. (720-21a)
This passage is structured around four straightforward statements of motif #1. and “Against a Dwarf”: “Her com in gangan. Passage III intensifies the dramatic possibilities of the type-scene through amplification and repetition of the motifs in the interlocked pattern. But the most intensified and amplified version of MAH is the 126-line version in which Grendel attacks Heorot (702b-828a). “Hyse cwom gangan. hereafter referred to as Passage II. echoes of this motif can be found elsewhere in Anglo-Saxon poetry. while each of the three. . (714)
Com a to recede rinc si ian dreamum bedæled. toslat he man. most specifically in the metrical charms and riddles. the narrative proceeds by a series of more or less parallel steps which have a cumulative force . Indeed. in spiderwiht. “ a com in gangan dweores sweostar.” 13. Of particular note is its identity as an example of an “envelope pattern” (Bartlett 1935:9-11): “the last phrase ‘ofer a niht’ [736a] echoes the opening phrase ‘on wanre niht’ [702b] and rounds off the whole” (50). (710-11a) Wod under wolcnum to æs e he winreced. the first one” (49). The formulaic structure is made even more visible in its use to introduce riddles: “Wiht cwom æfter wege wrætlicu li an. . Three of these statements include the verb com:
Com on wanre niht scri an sceadugenga.” 31.” 9. . See the analogous phrases in metrical charms: “Nine Herbs Charm”: “wyrm com snican. in other formulaic combinations of complus-infinitive. four or five members is a step marking progress in the whole. She describes the repetition thus: “. the approach of the monster (motif #1) is described in four separate assertions.”
12
.

Other scholars attempt to account for the sleepiness of the thanes by reference to traditional or “source” material: see Puhvel (1979:94).
13
. ealle buton anum. not without reason. a æt hornreced healdan scoldon. “How is it possible for the Geats to fall asleep?” [154]). and “Wiht cwom gongan ær weras sæton. (728-30a) [He saw in the hall many warriors. magorinca heap.]
The sleeping men have frequently disturbed and dismayed modern readers of this poem. all but one. it is not easy to account for such sang-froid.
“Riddle 54”. the poet makes the traditional statement of motif #1 (“Sceotend swæfon”) and then contradicts it to fit the context (“ealle buton anum”).” “Riddle 86. the sleeping men are an essential detail. (703b-5a) [The warriors slept. which accounts for the sleeping thanes as the “incongruous survival of source material” (97). here—and his companions show the opposite traits” (1983:168). a band of kinsman. fatalism. Klaeber’s question has been answered in a variety of ways. no matter how incongruous.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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The sleeping men. who comments: “With all due allowance for travel fatigue and the effects of the beverage served in Hrothgar’s hall. In terms of the type-scene.” See also Foley 1990:209-12. the stock element is retained despite such apparent inappropriateness: in this passage. the second element of motif #1. First the poet makes a general observation. or simply apathetic lethargy on the part of every single member of Beowulf’s elite band of Geatish warriors. they who had to guard that house. I am grateful to Geoffrey Russom for suggesting this line of inquiry and bringing these specific passages to my attention. then distinguishes the one exception:
Sceotend swæfon. the sleeping men—as Grendel sees them—are mentioned again:
Geseah he in recede rinca manige. since their sleepiness at such a critical time does seem difficult to explain (as Klaeber put it.13 Nonetheless. Twentysix lines later.” Puhvel explains this episode by reference to the Celtic “Hand and the Child” folktale. are mentioned twice in Passage II. from Swanton’s hypothesis (1978:192)—“possibly they had been entertained too well”—to Niles’ attempt to view the sleeping thanes as an abstract representation of a literary style: “The hero manifests whatever qualities are necessary for success in a certain situation—vigilance and self-discipline. swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere.

his delay in challenging Grendel until after Hondscioh has been killed.]
He then seizes one thane. and elaboration. Passages I and III]). the motif requires that the monster seize one or more of the thanes. gefeng. the formulaic qualities of motif #2 provide the structure and language of these narrative details. Grendel’s attempt on Beowulf. before day came. merely noted in Passages I and III. Likewise. Each element of MAH is given more attention here than in either Passage I or III. echoes the core elements of motif #2: “he onfeng hra e” (748b). “the question which naturally comes to mind is why
. Beowulf’s recalcitrance in this scene. the monster’s penetration into the hall. Except for the use of geniman in Passage I. who is described by the formulaic expression as a “rinc on ræste” (747a [see motif #2. the hall is described carefully. ær on dæg cwome. The monster opens the door and moves across the floor. the type-scene dictates that Beowulf must lose at least one man in the monster’s attack. is vividly depicted in this scene through an expansion of details. atol aglæca anra gehwylces lif wi lice. onfeng). Grendel first anticipates the attack he is about to make:
mynte æt he gedælde. the type-scene acquires the dramatic qualities of a fully developed narrative scene. the expression of motif #2 depends on variations of the core verb fon.]
This variation in motif #1 develops the narrative potential of the type-scene through repetition or elaboration of its basic elements. a band of young warriors. he would sever the life from the body of each one of them. Grendel’s seizure of Hondscioh echoes the corresponding motif from Passage III: “ac he gefeng hra e forman si e / slæpende rinc” (740-41a) and “hra e heo æ elinga anne hæfde / fæste befangen” (1294-95a). and finally makes his ill-fated attack on Beowulf. and through such repetition. In spite of the drama and detail of this episode. to grasp or seize (befangen. In addition. As the editors of Explicator suggest. The second motif—the seizure of a thane—is developed in three parts. (731-33a) [The terrible fiend thought that. The heavily articulated elements of motif #2 are evident in this highly elaborated version of the type-scene. variation.270
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sleeping all together. invites all sorts of questions. thus.

That the narrative invites the modern reader to ask such questions is obvious. . Passage II represents the departure similarly:
scolde Grendel onan feorhseoc fleon under fenhleo u. . the seizure of a thane constitutes a traditional stock element around which the poet structures the narrative. until Grendel actually departs. though in this case. Of course.
14
. to seek his joyless abode under the marshes. . he leaves behind his arm and shoulder. .BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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Beowulf did not intervene in an attempt to save his retainer’s life?” (1942). . The editors of Explicator provided the most ingenious explanation— based altogether on a modern sensibility: “When Beowulf. saw the monster burst into Heorot .]
This fifty-six-line sequence amplifies the sort of dramatic tension evident
Beowulf’s behavior in this scene has provoked a variety of explanations from modern readers. see Lawrence 1928:178-79. . once at line 735 and again at line 761. Niles much more recently tries to negate the propriety of such questions: “The principle of contrast. after boasting to slay Grendel. once again to seek his home in the fen. . In Passage I he goes off “wica neosan” (125b). together with a desire to magnify terror. (819b-21a) [Mortally wounded. And Beowulf continued to watch while Grendel sprang on a sleeping thane. secean wynleas wic. calls Handscioh into being and insists that he be handed over to the monster without the least outcry of protest” (1983:168). likewise. not the characters themselves. in finding the answer in the traditional episodic unit—the type-scene—we may understand more specifically the sorts of questions that we may meaningfully ask of the narrative. the poet fulfills the demands of the type-scene when Grendel seizes Hondscioh. may be explained as the earliest example in English literature of the use of the scientific method. See also Chambers’ explanation based on the folktale the “Bear’s Son” (1959:63-64). The poet effectively depicts the slaying of Grendel without sacrificing the traditional exit of the monster.14 Hondscioh. the answers to such questions lie in the narrative tradition. Beowulf watched the attack upon the sleeping thane in order to learn Grendel’s tactics well enough to defeat him later. is sacrificed to the demands of the type-scene as the traditional narrative unit. Like the statement that all the men are asleep. The type-scene also demands that the monster depart (motif #3). consequently. it is remarkable that the hero did not spring forward to attack him. although when Grendel leaves Heorot this time. Grendel had to flee thence. . . . the tug of war goes on for 56 lines. however.” This quite “natural” question and answer effectively illustrate how modern readers seek to understand motivation in narrative. This behavior . Grendel’s desire to leave the hall is also noted several times before he departs.

“The Monster Attacks the Hall.” dominate the first third of the narrative of Beowulf (lines 1-1306a). with motif #3 developed here in its fullest form.16 provide transitions. In both passages. The narrative is structured around these attacks. there is an ironic reversal of the expected outcry: Grendel’s response “sounds through the hall. the conflict between the monster’s desire to depart and his inability to do so provides a traditional narrative tension. such as sleep-feast themes15 and arrival scenes. See Clark 1965:168. The often-noted vividness of the scene. the typescene allows the poet to expand the basic motifs by including the point of view of the monster. The terms sweg (782b) and wop (785b) in this passage echo the closing motif of Passage I (“wop up ahafen / micel morgensweg” [128b-29a]). In addition. Obviously. and to close the passage with Beowulf’s rejoicing. Beowulf rejoices (827b-28a): “Nihtweorce gefeh. The three occurrences of this type-scene. other traditional narrative units. The last motif in this type-scene is flexible enough to allow the poet to assign the terrible lament to Grendel. / ellenmær um” (“He rejoiced in his night’s work. Instead. and amplifications of the same four basic motifs found in Passages I and III. striking scene such as Grendel’s attack on Heorot consists of a series of variations. In addition. A highly developed. depends on the poet’s manipulation of traditional elements. In this passage. episodic and digressive narrative material. The contrast between the skeletal narrative summary of Passage I and the fully realized scene of Passage II demonstrates the narrative properties of oral poetry.
15
See Kavros 1981 and DeLavan 1980.” “reced hlynsode” (770b). The central representation—Grendel’s battle with Beowulf—occurs roughly in the center (702b-828a) of the lines that span the narrative between the monster’s first attack (115-29a) and the last (1279a-1304a). such as the Unferth episode. for although the hall has been attacked. it has also been purged. the outcry that concludes Passages I and III would be inappropriate here. elaborations.
16
. The closing motif (#4—the response of the men to the attack of the monster) must be different in this passage.272
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on a much smaller scale in the deployment of motif #3 in Passage III when Grendel’s mother wishes to be gone (1292). especially the dramatic development of point of view and narrative tension. his heroic deeds”). Passage II—the central manifestation of the central type-scene of Beowulf—demonstrates both the artistry of the poet and the traditional qualities of his narrative language.

On the rhetorical properties of variation. Greenfield and Calder 1986:127-28. For echoes of one occurrence of a given theme reverberate not simply through the subsequent linear length of a given poem. stress syntactic. provides the agency for the third occurrence of MAH. of the skeleton of the scene. Grendel’s mother. may prove to be of considerable importance in successfully interpreting traditional poetry. of course.” depends heavily on the rhetorical expansion.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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elaborates the significance of Beowulf’s character and of the events in the narrative. but one stretched far beyond the formal limits of variation” (105). especially the central type-scene for this particular narrative. generates more narrative: Passage III poses a problem for which the characters in the narrative must find a solution. and this passage. variation.17 The structure of the first third of Beowulf emerges from the steady accumulation. mythic knowledge of a given culture” (1976:231). The most essential unit comprises the 126 lines that chronicle Grendel’s final attack on the hall: this episode presents the most dramatic and developed version of the type-scene. not semantic. stresses Grendel’s steady advance. It justifies all the episodes that occur before it and closes off the possibility of additional repetitions.18 and elaboration of type-scenes. Each occurrence of this type-scene echoes all the possibilities of repetition or cessation.. but through the collective.
18
. through parallelisms and variation. . and Harris 1982. see Brodeur 1959:39-70. in the instance of sentence variation) within contiguous clauses” (98).a-infinitive of Grendel’s approach to Heorot . parity” (105). is structural and semantic repetition. Greenfield and Harris both quote Fred C. Greenfield 1972:65-66.” In fact. Robinson’s definition of variation from his unpublished thesis. “The Monster Attacks the Hall. MAH and its narrative possibilities exemplify the single most mythic element in Beowulf—the nocturnal attack of a monster
17
See Clover 1980. then.. illustrating a principle of traditional narratives so effectively characterized by Foley: “The ritual nature of the theme [or typescene]. I define variation as parallel words or groups of words which share a common reference and occur within a single clause (or.’ Accordingly. Harris attempts the most complete definition of variation: “The definition of variation adopted here is that of Professor Robinson: ‘Its [variation’s] essence. The central presentation of this typescene.. like Passage I.. Harris wishes to draw firm distinctions between variation and parallelisms: “Variation depends on repetition of form and meaning: parallelisms. at least with Grendel as the agent in the attack. See further Robinson 1985. “The Monster Attacks the Hall. . He comments that the triple “com. but it simultaneously pauses to let the poet insert additional information—a type of variational pattern and effect. MAH appears to be the central narrative unit—the core or skeleton of the narrative—that organizes and focusses the first 1300 lines of the text. with a variety of wording.

“a chiastic design in which the last element in a series in some way echoes the first.. see Barnes 1970 on the formal patterns of folklore in the structure of Beowulf. rather. While Beowulf’s battle with
19
See Hume 1974 and Irving 1989:134-67.” so Beowulf is here called a gist (1522) and then selegyst (1545). the outline of MAH represents the structure of the first third of Beowulf. for instance. .20 that have been perceived in the poem.” As he describes this pattern. . “hostile hall. See also Andersson (1980:90-106). as he approached the mere-hall. Such a structure—the sequence of traditional narrative elements dominated by the type-scene that represents the monster’s attack on the hall—is more difficult to chart schematically than other structures. a kind of memento mori dwelling insistently on the transitoriness of earthly things” (104). . The monster no longer attacks the hall. which results in a “thematic design . The word. the next to last the second. Niles. Beowulf seeks out Grendel’s mother and attacks her in her “hall.
Rosier’s analysis demonstrates the traditional inversion of the monster’s attack.” and hrofsele. and developed as the context demands. which becomes the hero’s attack. the focus of the story shifts. expanded. “roofed hall.. “warrior or terrible one”. . He commented on the transference of the terminology in this fashion (1963:12):
The mere-dwelling is called ni sele. See also Rosenberg 1971.274
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on sleeping men in a communal hall.
20
. Andersson suggests that this design constitutes a formal pattern of rising and falling episodes. Beowulf’s attack on Grendel’s mother in her abode is narrated as the inverse of Grendel’s attack on Heorot. “The poet drew his settings from the scenic repertory of the older heroic lay” (105). The traditional structure is a fluid narrative logic consisting of type-scenes and themes. As the narrative moves away from the first 1300 lines. interconnected. . “monster. such as ring composition. 1979). and provides a careful diagram of the way in which ring composition accounts for the formal pattern of the poem (1979:914). and so on” (1983:152.
Several highly articulated formal patterns have been proposed for Beowulf.” Just as Grendel is ironically referred to as a “hall-thane. Beowulf likewise is referred to as aglæca (1512) in the transferred sense. who has proposed another pattern that would account for the “inventory of conventional situations.” As James Rosier noted three decades ago. finds a rather tight example of ring composition. For a discussion of the formal qualities of Beowulf in Proppian terms..” is a common name for Grendel and his mother is called an aglæcwif (1259). Even the famous a com pattern delineating Grendel’s progress from the mere to Heorot recurs in a varied form to depict the movement of Beowulf and his thanes as they return from the mere to the hall. aglæca.19 Furthermore.

feorhbealu fægum. we hear about the glove that Grendel used to carry off warriors and the monster’s desire not to leave empty-handed. to attack us where we unharmed occupied the hall. the seizure of the thane.” Instead of the sleeping men. terrible in the evening. is particularized here into an elegiac statement about Hondscioh:
ær wæs Hondscio hild onsæge. inverts. user neosan sæl weardodon. about half (73 lines) narrate the two attacks of the monster and the battle with Grendel’s mother. is reflected in these comments by Beowulf when he emphasizes the grip of Grendel and his intention to stuff thanes into his
. The type-scene can generate narrative episodes that are more complex than the simple elaboration of a core unit. “gesunde. the seizure of a sleeping thane. shorthand version of MAH when he narrates the two attacks on the hall. an armed warrior. (2076-78a) [Then was the battle fatal to Hondscioh. he narrates his exploits in the battles against Grendel and his mother. gyrded cempa.” this section of the narrative develops out of. and fulfills the earlier structures generated by the type-scene itself. Yet he also edits the tale. he fyrmest læg. As a storyteller. When Beowulf returns to Hygelac’s court. He summarizes Grendel’s approach:
eatol æfengrom ær we gesunde gæst yrre cwom.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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Grendel’s mother does not develop in ways as predictable and “formulaic” as the three manifestations of “The Monster Attacks the Hall. The Grendel story itself is introduced with a direct comment by Beowulf: “Ic sceal for sprecan / gen ymbe Grendel” (2069b-70a) [“I must speak forth then about Grendel”]. he makes no mention of the sleeping thanes. (2073b-75)
[The angry demon came.” The second motif.]
The “scri an sceadugenga” of Passage II (703a) who bore God’s anger (711b). a standard element of motifs #1 and #2 in earlier versions of the type-scene. Beowulf mentions only that they occupied the hall. a deadly evil to the fated one. Beowulf actually relies on a stripped-down.]
Since we now see this episode from Beowulf’s point of view. simply becomes “gæst yrre cwom / eatol æfengrom. Motif #2. Of the 152 lines in this section of direct discourse. he fell first. idelhende (2081b).

(2127b-28)
[She carried that body in her fiendish arms under the mountain stream. “o æt niht becwom / o er to yldum” (2116b-17a). is likewise patterned on the motifs of MAH. (2122b-23)
[There was Aschere. the departure of the monster. Beowulf patterns his account as the Beowulf-poet does. he has no eyewitness details to add to his narration of events. / si ode sorhfull” (2118b-19a). direct discourse of the account. Motif #3 is represented by Beowulf’s comment that Grendel did depart and leave his hand behind in Heorot (2096a-2100). motif #4.]
Since Beowulf is not present at this attack. He omits all details that specifically refer to the participants.276
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glove. In the first-person. but Beowulf the narrator attempts to explain the events. except to name both victims. here becomes a summary of Beowulf’s rewards. When night falls. even though he uses the same traditional
. Beowulf’s narration differs from that of the early representation of these episodes in the poem. As Beowulf narrates the second motif. and #4: the seizure of a thane. he again omits the sleeping men and names the victim. Beowulf’s narration of the attack by Grendel’s mother. and add his personal version of the fight with Grendel. this type-scene serves a different purpose than it does in the hands of a scop-proper: the hero’s manipulation of this type-scene effects closure. which immediately follows the account of the feast and celebration. which he begins to enjoy the next day “sy an mergen com” (2103b). depict his own role in events.]
Although the skeleton of MAH is employed twice in this short passage. the death-wary Danes realize that
feondes fæ mum hio æt lic ætbær under firgenstream. and the response of the inhabitants. the wise old counselor. #3. For in the morning. Grendel’s mother approaches: “Grendeles modor. not to embellish them. in a passage that parallels his naming of Hondscioh:
frodan fyrnwitan ær wæs Æschere. The reaction to the event. the type-scene develops something of the tone and logic of elegy. Instead. he repeats a formula he has just employed twenty-one lines earlier (“sy an mergen cwom” [2124b]) to provide a transition to a compilation of motifs #2. departed from life. feorh u genge. In Beowulf’s hands.

Indeed. he demonstrates the relationship between event and narrative: his version of the monster’s attack is reduced to recognizable. More than fifty years ago. Many traditions have been proposed to account for Grendel. the “Hand and the Child. See also note 9. “The Monster Attacks the Hall” is a highly articulated formulaic unit that represents the central thematic episode of the poem. recounted as history. in Irish and Scandinavian literature. but an essential element in a poem that expresses the “northern mythical imagination” (31). In his version. as a structural and structuring unit. R. R. these two final versions of MAH form a retrospective version of episodes already represented by the traditional narrative of the poem. whether in folklore or literature. on the possible connections with Irish folklore. and the two attacks become history. see Whitbread 1974.” See Chambers 1959:173ff. he fixes the episodes. J. and Lawrence 1928:182. the fact that Beowulf’s men fall asleep in Heorot and that Beowulf does not challenge Grendel until Hondscioh has been killed. The type-scene itself. nor does it bear any affinity to the representation of the monsters in the Latin prose accounts of monsters. In producing his narrative account. Tolkien (1936/1968) asserted that the monsters in Beowulf are not an “inexplicable blunder of taste” (23). Grendel’s presence in Beowulf is confined largely. As direct discourse within narrative. The tradition behind the pattern that represents the monster’s attack on the hall need not be specifically sought in other literary or folklore texts. reductive narrative units that have lost the compelling dramatic quality they display in the earlier presentation of the poem. too ancient and too “traditional” to make the search for analogues.” For a skeptical consideration of the Latin tradition (Liber Monstrorum) in relation to Beowulf. very meaningful.” which he finds to be a more likely analogue than “The Bear’s Son. to his appearance in this highly articulated traditional type-scene. The type-scene itself bears little resemblance to the folklore analogues so often discussed. though not exclusively. who proposes a folktale. As a traditional narrative unit.
A longstanding critical discussion focusses on the possible connections between Grendel and the Grettis Saga. suggests that the tradition that it represents is an ancient oral tradition. see Puhvel (1979). likewise.21 However. As a storyteller. it clarifies two “problems” in the plot of the narrative—namely.
21
. Beowulf completes the first two-thirds of the narrative. and in the tradition of Latin prose texts that catalogue the monsters.BEOWULF: THE MONSTERS AND THE TRADITION
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elements that dominate the development of the narrative itself. discussions frequently seek to connect the poem to the folktale “The Bear’s Son. The origin of the “Grendel Story” has been sought in folklore. the mythical priority of the monsters is exemplified by their formulaic presentation in this type-scene.

” In Old English Literature in Context. M.” Publications of the Modern Language Association. M. University of California. Barnes. The Larger Rhetorical Patterns in Anglo-Saxon Poetry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. and Paul Szarmach.
22
. New York: Columbia University Press. Brynteson. William E. R.” Res Publica Litterarum. by John Niles. Cambridge: D. pp. Berkeley. 72:563-73. by Peter Clemoes. 45:416-34. Brewer. Beowulf: An Introduction to the Study of the Poem.22 State University of New York at Binghamton
References
Andersson 1980 Theodore Andersson. Laura Morland. and in Beowulf we have very traditional monsters indeed. S.” Speculum.278
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These are traditional stock elements of the monster’s attack. 171-203. 90-106. Alain Renoir. “The Monsters and Beowulf. Chambers. Adeline Courtney Bartlett. “Folklore Morphology and the Structure of Beowulf. 3rd ed. The Dialogic Imagination. Daniel R. I am greatly indebted to the following readers for their critical comments on this paper: Raymond Oliver. Austin: University of Texas Press. Adrien Bonjour. The Art of Beowulf. Ed. March 24. W. Arthur Brodeur. Bakhtin.
Bakhtin 1981 Barnes 1970 Bartlett 1935
Bonjour 1957 Brodeur 1959 Brynteson 1982 Chadwick 1959
Chambers 1959
An earlier version of this paper was read at the Old English Colloquium. “Beowulf and the Beasts of Battle. “Tradition and Design in Beowulf. “Beowulf. pp. London: Bowes and Bowes. Nora Chadwick. Ed. 1984. Monsters and Manuscripts. Berkeley: University of California Press. 5:41-57.” In The Anglo-Saxons: Studies in Some Aspects of Their History and Culture Presented to Bruce Dickens.